Champagne in the countryside

For a long time, the champagne houses were known for offering magical itineraries in the chalk pits, taking visitors up the underground passages of Reims or Épernay. The idea was first put forward in 1878 by the visionary Madame Pommery. For a long time, the Champagne region was content with it, until July 4, 2015...

Flashback. Unesco adds the " Coteaux, Maisons et Caves de Champagne " to its list of world heritage sites. In a land martyred by two world wars, it's a detonator. The Champagne landscape can also be a tourist attraction. A forest on high ground, vineyards on hillsides, buildings rebuilt in alternating brick and chalk... Winegrowers are becoming aware of the true value of a terroir that draws its authenticity from 300 years of history, where each village has managed to maintain its typical character.

Wine tourism is thus taking a turn for the better. Yesterday ignored, the Champagne production zone is now attracting interest. Completely closed to the public, the presses are undergoing major renovations to provide a proper welcome. While visitors reveal a need to reconnect with nature, Unesco's decision stimulates their curiosity to go back to the first stage in the making of the king of wines. No longer do we just want to watch it age. They take the " Ligne des Bulles " train to criss-cross the Reims mountains. The Grand'R bus service to Verzy will open in May 2024, taking visitors even deeper into the Reims countryside. On the program: hikes in the vineyards, grape-picking for a day and a visit to contemporary works at the Vign'art festival.

la Table des Chefs de la Maison Mumm

just a stone's throw from downtown Reims, the Cordon Rouge is no longer a private hotel reserved for celebrities or influential people from the four corners of the globe. GH Mumm has extensively renovated it, opening it up to gastronomes and providing a showcase for the cuisine of emerging chefs. In the same way that artists take over chalk pits or vineyards on a rotating basis, chefs take charge of the stoves at the Table des Chefs for the duration of a season. The House of Mumm inaugurated the concept with Mallory Gabsi (Paris, 3 toques G&M), followed by Florian Barbarot (Quelque Part, Paris, 2 toques G&M), Kelly Rangama (Le Faham, Paris Paris, 2 toques G&M), Tom Meyer (La Chèvre d'Or, Èze, 4 toques G&M) and Sato Hideaki (Ta Vie, Hong Kong), the program's first foreign chef. The young Victor Mercier (Fief, Paris, 2 toques G&M) completed the 2024 vintage. To compose the menu, each resident adapts signature dishes and works on exclusive creations, such as Tom Meyer's memorable farmhouse poultry cooked in yellow wine. Raimonds Tomsons, World's Best Sommelier 2023, takes care of the pairings. Open Monday lunchtime and Thursday lunchtime to Saturday evening. Menu in 4 or 6 sequences from 75 euros.

A luxury villa in the heart of the vineyards at Leclerc Briant

The Épernay house is at it again when it comes to hospitality. Seven years after opening a guesthouse in a former 18th-century family home in the heart of the much-desired Avenue de Champagne, Leclerc Briant offers a gentle awakening to the sound of the wind rustling through the vines. A visit to Villers-Allerand, a discreet commune in the Marne department, where the brand composes its precious cuvée "Le Clos des Trois Clochers". This is also the name of the century-old villa that Leclerc Briant uses for receptions. Designed by the famous architect Max Sainsaulieu (whose work includes the Carnegie Library in Reims), where the revered buildercut surrounded by his nine children and wife, the building has just been transformed into a 5-star luxury hotel. During the renovation, the villa welcomed the crew of Nicolas Vanier's film Champagne! which will be released in June 2022.

Personalized tours at Moët & Chandon

in Épernay, a visit to the Moët & Chandon cellars is a must, notoriously made by Napoleon Iᵉʳ in 1807. Today, over 72,000 visitors wander part of the 28 kilometers of underground galleries, located beneath the Avenue de Champagne. It's a destination that can make your head spin, given its popularity. The LVMH champagne house has therefore redesigned the tour routes to offer more intimate experiences. In this case, the idea is to form small groups - of up to six people only - for the itinerarydedicated to the discovery of the new " Collection Impériale Création N° 1 " vintage. At the end of the itinerary, visitors approach the work of American artist Daniel Arsham, created for Moët & Chandon's 280th anniversary, and exhibited in the Galerie Impériale. All tours end with a tasting, sometimes in a private room as with the " Grand Vintage ". From 40 to 200 euros, depending on the tasting.

Gastronomic immersion at Maison Taittinger

It took no less than 18 months to renovate the historic site of the Butte Saint-Nicaise, where Taittinger maintains a heritage that includes the remains of an ancient abbey, as well as chalk pits dating back to Gallo-Roman times. The keys to this titanic project were entrusted to Reims-based architect Giovanni Pace, who had to take every precaution not to disturb the sleep of the prestigious " Comtes de Champagne " cuvées. Since the reopening of the Taittinger house this summer, the tour routes have been redesigned, inviting visitors to the basement in place of the former disgorging room for a complete immersion in its history. Maintaining its close ties with the world of gastronomy, in the wake of its Prix ArsNova culinary prize, which has been awarded to cuisine d'auteur since 1967, Taittinger reoffers an itinerary for gourmets who take part in a tasting of brut millésimé and " Prestige " rosé wines, in harmony with the cuisine of chef Philippe Mille (L'Arbane, Reims, 3 G&M toques). 80 euros per person. In March 2025, Maison Taittinger will also open the Polychrome restaurant, with a menu designed by Charles Coulombeau (La Maison dans le Parc, Nancy, 3 toques G&M).

Bucolic experiences with Veuve Clicquot

On the heights of the Reims mountain, the house of " la grande Dame de la Champagne " draws inspiration from the vineyards below its Manoir de Verzy to offer ephemeral rendezvous orchestrating seasonal accords between nature and the variety of its cuvées. In spring, immersion in the 2,500 m² vegetable garden, where you can pick your own permaculture-grown vegetables. To serve what Veuve Clicquot calls " garden gastronomy ", the company's chefs take care of cooking the plants in a menu washed down with " Grande Dame " rosé and white magnum. In summer, a picnic in the spirit of lunch on the grass is organized in the park. For those in Reims, the Café Clicquot welcomes you all year round (except January and February) with a casual menu halfway between bistronomy and street food, using local ingredients.

Gastronomic rendezvous at Perrier-Jouët's Maison Belle Époque

An original painting by Toulouse-Lautrec, a genuine Rodin adorning the fireplace, untouched chairs by Louis Majorelle... You enter the Maison Belle Époque is like a museum, except that it is very close to Europe's largest private collection of Art Nouveau. The works of art are not housed in cloches; they are sculpted into the decor of a real home, where you could have been invited for dinner. In fact, you come here to savour Pierre Gagnaire's cuisine, brought to life by chef Sébastien Morellon. Here, the former private residence of Eugène Gallice, brother-in-law and business partner of Charles Perrier, the son of the Champagne label's founding couple, becomes a haven of suspended time, where you can savour the harmonious pairings of cellar master Séverine Frerson. In fine weather, the atmosphere is even more intimate when you lunch on the terrace in front of the property's English-style garden. 350 euros for an all-inclusive menu.

A brand-new garden for strolling among the works of art at Ruinart

For the past fifteen years, the oldest Champagne house has maintained close links with the contemporary art world, with the most prominent artists, some of whom have had their works exhibited in the house cellars. Ruinart has decided to give more substance to this relationship by " offering " its brand new garden in Rémois to 20 artists, including Nils Udo, Jeppe Hein, Henrique Oliveira, Cornelia Konrads... Accessible free of charge, this green bubble envelops the daring Nicolas Ruinart pavilion, designed by architect Sou Fujimoto, as part of an ambitious project that took three years to complete. Code name: metamorphosis. Opposite its historic building, Ruinart invites visitors to take their time sipping champagne, sharing lunch or brunch, and sampling dishes created by executive chef Valérie Radou. Whether on the terrace or tucked away in alcoves, Ruinart is now also the place to come for a moment of relaxation, whether unexpected or not.

Maison Thiénot's new wine tourism haven

The young family label from Thaissy has embarked on a major project. less than ten minutes from Reims train station, Thiénot aims to appeal to all publics, both local and international, with a variety of experiences spread over the five floors of a private mansion. The aim is to offer a range of 360-degree activities for all audiences, even the youngest. In this 5,000 m2 building, visitors will enter a cloister where they will discover the history of champagne through the prism of the city of Reims. You'll also be able to combine business with pleasure, taking part in hands-on workshops to better understand the bubbly wine-making process. And there's no shortage of tasting opportunities, with a champagne bar featuring a menu of small bites served on a 500 m2 rooftop overlooking Reims Cathedral. And the lucky ones will sleep on site. Twelve rooms and one suite will make up the hospitable offering of this address, christened Le 3, whose foundations took two years to lay. Or they can relax in an 80 m2 spa, open to guests and visitors alike. the first part of the opening will take place in the spring of 2025, and will include experiences and cellar visits. The hotel and champagne bar will welcome visitors at the end of 2025.